Veggie Loaded Chilli Beans

If there is one meal that I make that I can guarantee that my kids will eat, it is this one! My 2.5 year old particularly loves it and will usually eat 2-3 serves (yay!).

I do this hidden veggies style by processing the mix before adding the beans in my thermomix, but it is just as delicious with chunky style veggies. You can also sub the black beans for red kidney or white beans, they all work well and have similar nutritional profiles.

My veggie loaded chilli beans is a great one to double and freeze half for a rainy day. You can serve it brown rice or make into burritos/tacos with mountain bread, tortillas (we use these ones), or lettuce. Add chilli at the end if you're a fan too!

Renee

Serves 4
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Total time: 1 hour

INGREDIENTS

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• 3-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

• 1 tin crushed tomatoes (salt reduced is preferable)

• 2 tbs tomato paste

• 1 1/2 tbs apple cider vinegar (ACV)

• 1/2-1 tsp salt + pepper to taste

• 1 small red capsicum, chopped into 1 cm pieces

• 1 medium carrot, grated

• 1 medium zucchini, grated

• 1 celery stick, finely chopped

• 2 handfuls leafy greens, finely chopped

• 2 tbs 'chilli-mix'

• 2 tins black beans, drained and rinse well (alternatively 1 cup of dried beans, soaked and cooked). You can also use a combination of different beans, I love combining black beans with 3 bean mix

• 2 tbs olive oil

METHOD

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot or wok (using a wok works a treat!) over a medium heat, add the onions and sauté for 5 minutes until translucent.

2. Add the garlic and all the veggies, except the leafy greens and cook for another 5 minutes.

3. Pour in the crushed tomatoes, then half fill the tin with water and shake well (to remove all the tomatoey goodness) and pour in as well. Add the tomato paste, ACV, spices and 'chilli mix', combine well and cook over a medium heat for 40 minutes.

4. Chuck in the leafy greens and process with a stick mixer/thermomix/food processor if you want to hide those veggies (I do!) and then add the beans and cook for another 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.

5. Serve with cooked rice, quinoa or buckwheat, homemade tortillas or mountain bread and some chopped up lettuce. Other tasty additions include guacamole, coleslaw and slices of lime.